Gel proves promising in halting AIDS

Minnesota, March3: The quest for developing a vaginal gel to thwart AIDS has finally gained ground. A non-prescription gel or cream containing the safe and natural chemical GML could be the shield against the deadly HIVdefine/AIDS.

Scientists from the University of Minnesota have stumbled upon a simple gel or cream GML (glycerol monolaurate), a common chemical that exists naturally in humans. This is safe and used extensively in ice cream and cosmetics. Experiments demonstrated that it protected monkeys from the HIVdefine virus providing a ray of hope that the same protection will be available to humans.

The team conducted a comparative study, giving a vaginal application of GML gel to five monkeys and exposed them along with a control group of five other animals to two large doses of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) - the monkey equivalent of HIV.

They observed that in the following fortnight, four of the control group contracted SIV. However none of the GML-treated group showed any signs of infection though they were given two additional shots of the virus. GML stopped inflammation and protected the cells the virus infects.

Dr. Ashley Haase, leader of the study with colleague Patrick Schlievert, disclosed that if GML is as effective in humans as it is in monkeys, "It could contribute to saving millions of lives."

According to them, a cream that blocks or kills (HIV) would be break through in the efforts in the fight against the disease. The GML product would be a good defense against the disease in the absence of an AIDS vaccine, which could save millions of women’s lives worldwide.

The GML gel or cream applied in the woman's vagina would create a protective barrier against the virus, during sexual intercourse. Schlievert said there's evidence that GML also may help prevent other sexually-transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia. Besides it is cost effective, with a single dose of GML cream costing less than a penny.

Dr Ashley stated 'This result represents a highly encouraging new lead in the search for an effective microbicide - that meets the criteria of safety, affordability and efficacy,'

The researchers reflected that even if the gel was not hundred percent effective it could still be very beneficial in combating HIV. The disease is a big killer. Nearly 16,000 people contract HIV every day, the majority getting infected through unprotected sex. Around thirty-three million people are living with HIV today.

The report was published in the journal Nature.